Former National Tax Service Commissioner Lee Hyun-dong Also Acquitted in 2nd Trial for Involvement in DJ Background Investigation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former Commissioner of the National Tax Service Lee Hyun-dong, who was accused of being involved in a secret operation to investigate former President Kim Dae-jung alongside the National Intelligence Service during the Lee Myung-bak administration, was acquitted again in the second trial.

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 6 (Presiding Judges Oh Seok-jun, Baek Seung-yeop, Jo Gi-yeol) on the 31st delivered the same not guilty verdict as the first trial to Lee, who was charged with bribery and loss of state funds under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to recognize that the defendant received the bribe, and dismissed the prosecution's appeal, stating that it was inappropriate to hold Lee criminally responsible for the loss of state funds.

Lee was prosecuted on charges of wasting 535 million won and 50,000 dollars, funds that should have been used for North Korea operations, by being involved in the so-called 'Davidson Project,' a secret operation investigating former President Kim's overseas slush fund suspicions with the National Intelligence Service from May 2010 to March 2012 while serving as Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of the National Tax Service. He was also accused of receiving 120 million won in cash as operational funds from former Director of North Korea Operations Kim Seung-yeon, who was instructed by then-NIS Director Won Sei-hoon in September 2011. The first trial acquitted Lee due to lack of credibility in witness testimonies and other reasons.

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